The Great Gas Boycott of 2007

We've all heard about the great gas boycott that will occur tomorrow, May 15. I expect many of the True Believers are filling up today in anticipation of this "boycott;" others will delay their purchase until Wednesday.

As many of us realize, delaying gas purchases for only a day does nothing to impact the price of gasoline or the profits of the large producers and distributers. Station operators -- who make pennies on each fillup -- will feel the pinch, as will the hourly wage earners who won't be scheduled to work that day because of the anticipated slow business.

The way to lower the price of a limited commodity -- like gasoline -- is to reduce demand. You reduce demand of gas by using less of it. You can use less gas by driving less -- combining trips, driving a little more conservatively and walking, biking, or using public transportation for some of your trips.

Remember, this week is Bike To Work Week across the United States. If you want to send a message to Big Oil, the best way to do so is to limit your purchase of their product permanently. Human-powered transportation is a great way to do that for many people.

For those who feel they cannot give up their cars, please remember that more people bicycling means there's more gas for you to burn.

Car brain

Somewhat related is this neat essay from Down Under:

I suffer from "car brain" every time I am handed car keys. I lose all sense of logic. Somewhere deep in the reptilian core of my brain, lizard-thinking takes over. When car brain rules, any vague feeling of goodwill I have towards the environment evaporates. I enter a persistent vegetative state where I avoid walking and public transport at all costs.

We need to accept humans are cheap and lazy, and adopt transport policies that reflect this.

So. The six ways of lowering gas prices don't even *hint* at reducing demand by *needing* less. The question "are any of these even possible" seemed to mean the suggestions didn't have to be "feasible" but I suppose driving less is truly unthinkable. Like my nonsense word verification of the day: jffokuhm ...

I received one of those gas boycott chain mails. It makes me laugh that people think they can just not buy it, but still consume the same amount. It the whole "something for nothing" mentality. The only thing that will make people use less gas is to make it more expensive. While $4-5 gas may hurt in the short term, I see it creating big changes in the long term.

from Snopes "Pain in the Gas" http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/nogas.asp

"Gasoline is a fungible, global commodity, its price subject to the ordinary forces of supply and demand. No amount of consumer gimmickry and showmanship will lower its price in the long run; only a significant, ongoing reduction in demand will accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, for many people achieving that goal would mean cutting down on their driving or opting for less desirable economy cars over less fuel-efficient models, solutions they find unappealing." Get on bike and quit whinning!

Just a thought, if people would buy JUST gas at the gas station, and not all the other stuff, this would have a huge effect on their profits (they always say they don't make their profit from gas). You can only get gas from a gas station, but you can get all the other stuff from your corner liquer store. Just my 2 cents.

I am sorry if this is in the wrong place or wrong group.Acting Together Will Make A Difference! visit www.end2crazygasprice.com now!Our objective is to Force the gas companies to lower their gas price by asking the consumers in Canada and in the United States NOT TO PURCHASE ANY GAS from the selected gas companies posted below.

We can have a significant impact on the price of gas IF WE ACT TOGETHER to initiate a GAS PRICE WAR!!! So Please Start The Boycott Now!Until futher notice WE DO NOT BUY ANY GAS from the following companiesCANADA- Esso- Petro-Canada- ShellUSA- ExxonMobil (all Exxon Mobile Gas Stations)- Esso- ShellYES, WE CAN WIN BUT…It is absolutely NECESSARY To continue purchasing our gas ELSEWHERE Than at the posted gas stations above and this, until we reach our objective. And, MOST OF ALL, HELP US

BY FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO FAMILY, FRIENDS, CO-WORKER etc...! CAN WE COUNT ON YOU…?Please visit www.end2crazygasprice.com and join us to implement it.NO PROTEST REQUIRE! All you have to remember the next time you fill up, STAY AWAY from SHELL, PETRO-CANADA, ESSO, and All ExxonMobil Gas stations."BOYCOTT" is the only option left for us to fight against this crazy gas prices, unless the government involve and regulate the gas price somehow!